


pinpricks

by paradoxikay



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: ...kind of?, Chronically Ill Noctis, Gen, Medical Procedures, Needles, Nonbinary Noctis, it's not sexual but it was definitely written to hit those needle kink buttons, needle kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 02:42:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16986633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradoxikay/pseuds/paradoxikay
Summary: Passing out during training wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for all the icky medical stuff that accompanies it. Particularly the needles. Noct's really not a fan of needles.





	pinpricks

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the FFXV Kink Meme a while back - the prompt was "Can I have a light/fluff something involving a needle being used on Noctis or Prompto?"
> 
> Hell yeah you can, anon.

It’s weird, Noctis thinks, groggily, as consciousness returns to them, just how talented Gladio is at catching them when they pass out - even if it means sprinting across the training yard to do it. They remember that, their Shield rushing to their side, more clearly than the actual passing-out part. That must have happened, though, because they're on the floor with their head in a familiar lap, and there are equally familiar fingers pressed to their wrist, taking their pulse.   
  
They probably shouldn’t be this used to passing out, but that’s really the least of their concerns right now. Mostly they're just mourning the loss of the rest of their day even before they open their eyes.  
  
“Knock it off, Iggy, I’m fine.” They yank their wrist free of Ignis’ grip, smacking weakly at their advisor’s hands when Ignis tries to grab their wrist again. They  _are_  fine, right? They feel like shit, but they're not bleeding or anything that they can tell, so they're probably fine. Or what passes for fine when randomly losing consciousness is a not infrequent event, especially now that it's getting warmer.  
  
“Noct, you lost consciousness -”  
  
“No shit.” They don't like the tone of voice Ignis is using - it makes them feel guilty, knowing they've worried him that much. “So I passed out. It happens. I’m fine.” They sit up to prove it, but a wave of lightheadedness and nausea crashes over them, and they have to lean back against Gladio’s chest to stay upright. “Totally. Fine." Behind them, Gladio snorts in disbelief. Noct elbows him in the ribs in retaliation.  
  
Iggy and Gladio aren't wrong, though. One wrong move and they end up like this - in their Shield’s arms, being  _carried_  to their room, where all that awaits them is an afternoon of being poked and prodded. It’s not fine. More than that, it's not  _fair_.  
  
(They don't say that out loud, though, because the only thing worse than Ignis sounding worried is the look of  _pity_  he can’t quite hide when Noct says things like that.)  
  
\--  
  
They are fine, more or less. The only pressing issue their doctor can come up with is dehydration. Noct’s not entirely sure that’s not just an excuse to make them miserable when they just want a nap though, ‘cause instead of just having them drink some water their doctor insists on pumping them full of IV fluids instead.  
  
“Like Their Royal Laziness would ever let a needle or two keep them from sleeping,” Gladio says, and, well, he’s not wrong. If they’re going to be stuck in bed for the next couple hours, might as well make the most of it, right?  
  
But that doesn’t mean they have to  _like_  needles.   
  
They have a routine for this, the three of them. Gladio sits next to them in bed, letting Noct lean against him and squeeze his hand. Ignis hovers, making sure whatever poor nurse is stuck with Prince-patching-up duty knows which veins are easiest to access. And Noct… they just lean against Gladio’s shoulder, close their eyes, and hope they don’t puke on anyone this time.  
  
(That’s happened exactly once that they remember, but they still feel awful about it, no matter how many times Ignis reassures them that he didn’t take it personally.)  
  
Closing their eyes doesn’t do them a whole lot of good; they’re so used to this they can tell exactly what’s going on without needing to see. There’s the tourniquet, tied painfully tight around their upper arm. Gloved fingers prod at the inside of their elbow, feeling for a usable vein - the prodding goes on longer than usual, this time, so they guess their veins are feeling about as cooperative as they themself are. Finally there’s the sound of an alcohol wipe being torn open, the sharp smell of it and the chill as it’s swabbed across their arm.  
  
They’re braced for the sharp bite of the needle, but it still makes their stomach churn, and they squeeze Gladio’s hand so tight their own hand starts to ache. Sometimes they barely feel it, but this definitely isn’t one of those times - it  _stings_ , and it  _keeps_  stinging as the nurse nudges it a little further in, trying to catch the vein. They can’t help but open their eyes, hoping to see the bright flash of blood in the needle that proves it’s in the right place.   
  
But they don’t.  
  
The nurse slides the needle out just a bit, then pushes it back in, digging around under their skin for the vein that really doesn’t want to cooperate. It  _hurts_  in a way that goes straight to their stomach, and they taste bile in the back of their throat, has to let go of Gladio’s hand to cover their mouth just in case.   
  
They know it’s not good news when the nurse gives up, untying the tourniquet, pulling the needle out all the way and taping a folded-up square of gauze over the little puncture wound it leaves in its wake. It just means she’s going to have to try again somewhere else. But it’s still a relief; it gives them a second to breathe, to swallow the bile back down. Gladio rubs their back, and that makes them feel a little better. Just a little.  
  
“The back of their left hand might prove more cooperative.” It had _better_. But Ignis, honestly, probably knows more about Noct’s body than Noct does when it comes to medical shit, so he’s probably right.

Noct kinda wishes Ignis was the one trying to start an IV on them, actually, but that’s for emergencies only. Even if he is uncannily good at it.  
  
All too soon the ritual starts again, and Noct can’t help but watch this time, too antsy to even think about closing their eyes. They watch the needle slide right through their skin like it’s nothing, and this time they swear it hurts more - maybe that’s because they’re watching, or because they’re so on edge from the last attempt. But the sting isn’t as bad as how  _wrong_  it feels to have something digging around under their skin like that. Worse still is that they can kind of see it, a little bulge right under the skin that shifts as the nurse desperately hunts for a vein.  
  
They’re starting to feel light-headed again, vision going dark at the edges - but before they can pass out or throw up or cry or something else really, really embarrassing, the needle finally finds its mark, and the nurse is pulling it out, putting a dressing over the tubing left sticking out of the back of their hand, and it’s over.  _Finally_.  
  
“That wasn’t so bad, was it, Your Highness?” she asks as she hooks up the bag of fluids they’re going to be tied to for the next however-long it takes to get them properly hydrated. It  _was_  that bad, actually, and also they aren’t fucking  _five_ , but they’re too tired to argue. Whatever. As long as she leaves them alone.   
  
She does, and Ignis and Gladio help them get comfortable. Ignis pulls a chair up to the side of the bed, and Gladio lies down behind them, draping an arm over Noct’s stomach to pull them close. It’s kind of embarrassing, getting all snuggly like this… but it’s nice, too, so Noct lets it happen.   
  
With Gladio a warm, solid, reassuring presence at their back, and Ignis fussing with the blankets, sleep comes easily.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: @[enbynoctis](enbynoctis.tumblr.com/)  
> twitter: @[paradoxikay](twitter.com/paradoxikay/)


End file.
